Touchpoints: 0 to 3 Book

I found some of the thinking in this book outdated and some of the language irritating -- it seems to be written as a manual for pediatricians rather than a book for parents. He talks about the ways he handles office visits and what he looks for in children and parents at various stages of development (the "Touchpoints" -- or moments of contact when parents bring kids in for well-baby/child visits and he can assess development and provide hints for developmental stages). My pediatrician recommended that we read Brazelton, so this is the book we got. Not sure if any of his other books might be more geared for parents.

I will say, though, that as my son started getting more aggressive after 15 months and I remembered that I had this book, I did appreciate some of the insight. I particularly liked his recommendations for handling tantrums -- I read the sections just a few days before my son had a major, terrifying tantrum. (One that scared him, even while it was going on.) I used the advice in the Brazelton book (tried to help him, realized I couldn't and that my efforts were making it worse, strapped him into his stroller so he'd be safe, let him work through it alone, and processed the tantrum with him after it was over.) I felt like the book prepared me to go against my instinct to try to help my baby resolve the situation and helped me know what to do in the aftermath to reassure him that all was ok. In my mind, just that little bit of information makes this a 5-star book. (Of course, you have to read far enough to get there, and the language and tone might prevent that from happening, which is why I ultimately gave this 3 stars.)